Local exchange telephone companies monitor the status of a number of different types of elements forming their networks. These network elements include central office switching and transmission equipment. The transmission equipment includes outside plant facilities comprising various cables of telephone lines (outside loop plant) which, for the most part, connect the central office to the premises of telephone subscribers.
The outside loop plant is tested periodically typically using a so-called Automatic Line Insulation Test (ALIT). Since such tests are intrusive (service affecting), they are performed on idle telephone lines only, and at a time when most telephone lines are idle, i.e., during the middle of the night. One aspect of such testing is that a considerable amount of time is used to attach the test equipment to a loop. As such, only a few thousand idle telephone lines (loops) can be tested per hour. In a large central office switch, it may take several nights to test all of the loops originating from that switch.
If a catastrophe occurs, such as a hurricane, tornado, earthquake, flood, etc, the telephone company may use particular test equipment to assess the status of central office equipment and interoffice transmission facilities. However, if the catastrophe also causes extensive damage to the outside loop plant, then the telephone company has no way to rapidly assess and report the extent of that damage. In such an instance, the telephone company may either wait for the results of the nightly ALIT tests or wait for subscribers to call the telephone company and report problems.
In the first few hours after a catastrophe, it is advantageous for a local telephone company to quickly locate and assess outside loop plant damage for a number of reasons including, (a) coordination and dispatch of repair crews and (b) publicly reporting via public media (e.g., radio and/or television) the extent of the damage and the time it will take to repair such damage.
Currently, an electric utility company monitors its facilities to quickly identify damaged equipment and/or power lines. If the damage is extensive, then the utility company publicly announces the extent of the damage to assure the public that the utility is aware of the damage and is making repairs.